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Sherry Rauh - webmd |
5 Tips for Better Work Life Balance
1. Figure Out What Really Matters to You in Life
Personal coach Laura Berman Fortgang, author of NOW WHAT? 90 Days to a
New Life Direction, says getting your priorities clear is the first and
most essential step toward achieving a well-balanced life. The important point
here is to figure out what you want your priorities to be, not what you think
they should be.
"I use an exercise for figuring out what matters most," Fortgang
tells WebMD. She has her clients take a couple days off from work to
contemplate the following series of questions:
1. If my life could focus on one thing and one
thing only, what would that be?
2. If I could add a second thing, what would that be?
3. A third?
4. A fourth?
5. A fifth?
If you answer thoughtfully and honestly, the result will be a list of your
top five priorities. Fortgang says a typical top-five list might include some
of the following:
- Children
- Spouse
- Satisfying career
- Community service
- Religion/spirituality
- Health
- Sports
- Art
- Hobbies, such as gardening
- Adventure/travel
2. Drop Unnecessary Activities
By making a concrete list of what really matters to you, you may discover
you're devoting too much time to activities that aren't a priority, and you can
adjust your schedule accordingly.
If at all possible, Fortgang recommends dropping any commitments and
pursuits that don't make your top-five list, because "unnecessary
activities keep you away from the things that matter to you."
3. Protect Your Private Time
You would probably think twice before skipping out on work, a parent-teacher
conference, or a doctor's appointment. Your private time deserves the same
respect. "Carve out hours that contribute to yourself and your relationship,"
says Stevan Hobfoll, PhD, distinguished professor of psychology at Kent State
University, and co-author
of Work Won't Love You Back: The Dual Career Couple's Survival Guide.
Guard this personal time fervently and don't let work or other distractions
intrude. "Stop checking email and cell phones so often," Hobfoll
advises. "Few people are so important that they need their phones on at
all times."
If work consistently interferes with your personal time, Hobfoll recommends
discussing some adjustments with your boss. "There's a mythology in the workplace
that more hours means more," he tells WebMD. Demonstrate that you can
deliver the same or better results in fewer hours. Your job performance
"should never be judged in terms of hours of input," Hobfoll says.
Protecting your private time often leads to "greater satisfaction in both
work life and personal life, greater productivity, and more creativity."
If you're your own boss, it's up to you to create boundaries that keep work
from intruding on family time.
4. Accept Help to Balance Your Life
Allow yourself to rely on your partner, family members, or friends -- anyone
who can watch the kids or run an errand while you focus on other top
priorities. "Try tag-teaming," Hobfoll suggests. "One spouse
works out before dinner, one after dinner, while the other watches the
kids."
To get more alone-time with your partner, accept babysitting offers from
friends and family, or try arranging a regular trade-off with another couple.
"'I'll watch your kids this Saturday if you watch mine next Saturday.'
Tag-teaming is a great way to create extra free time," Hobfoll says.
5. Plan Fun and Relaxation
Fun and relaxation are an essential part of living a well-balanced life.
Until you get into the habit of taking time for yourself, set aside space in
your planner for relaxation and fun. Plan what you're going to do and make any
necessary arrangements, such as childcare, to ensure you'll be able to keep
your commitment. "Remember, you make time for what you want to make time
for," Fortgang says. If something is important to you, don't brush it
aside with a dismissive "I don't have time for that." You are in
charge of your own schedule -- it's up to you to make time. SourceAdapted from webmed.com - 5 Tips for Better Work Life Balance
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